The Musk Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2001 by Elon Musk and Kimbal Musk. The original foundation ceased operations in 2021 and was reincorporated in Austin, Texas under EIN 85-2133087. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private independent foundation and is one of the largest private foundations in the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$463.0M
-13.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$474.3M
+100.5% YoY
Grant Count
55
+27.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8.6M
+56.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Musk Foundation reported a distributable amount of $446.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Renewable energy research and advocacy
- Human space exploration research and advocacy
- Pediatric research
- Science and engineering education
- Development of safe artificial intelligence to benefit humanity
- Education initiatives and school operations
- Support for students in need
- Disaster relief efforts
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000 to $137,075,943
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving emphasizes:
- National focus (USA) with particular emphasis on Texas, California, and Massachusetts
- Texas has become the largest area of Musk Foundation giving in recent years
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $462,970,680
- Total revenues: $94,680,190
- Total expenses: $474,745,343
- Total giving: $474,325,312
- Investment income and dividends: $20,738,437
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $536,153,034
- Total expenses: $237,275,888
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $462,970,680 | $536,153,034 | $650,716,295 |
| Revenue | $94,680,190 | $20,491,653 | $2,554,831,265 |
| Expenses | $474,745,343 | $237,275,888 | $165,521,865 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $474,381,752 | $236,645,423 | $160,567,914 |
| Net Investment Income | $20,589,565 | $20,313,090 | $308,679,504 |
| Distributable Amount | $446,222,454 | $424,040,305 | $353,793,903 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
170 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Foundation - See Attachment a ($205,784,489), The Foundation - See Attachment a ($149,179,959), Fidelity Charitable ($25,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICA INSTITUTE FOR ROMAN CULTURE INC AUSTIN, TX | SUPPORT HISTORICAL RESEARCH AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION | $1,000,000 |
| AUSTIN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AUSTIN, TX | SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT | $5,000,000 |
| BABY2BABY LOS ANGELES, CA | SUPPORT PROVIDING ESSENTIAL ITEMS TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES | $930,000 |
| CAMERON COUNTY EDUCATION INITIATIVE INC BROWNSVILLE, TX | SUPPORT THE PATIENT CARE TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION PROGRAM | $295,500 |
| CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF BROWNSVILLE BROWNSVILLE, TX | SUPPORT CREATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN | $150,000 |
| CITY OF BROWNSVILLE BROWNSVILLE, TX | SUPPORT COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND CITY PROGRAMS | $120,000 |
| CODEORG SEATTLE, WA | SUPPORT ACCESS TO AND PARTICIPATION IN COMPUTER SCIENCE IN SCHOOLS | $2,130,000 |
| DIGITAL HARBOR FOUNDATION BALTIMORE, MD | SUPPORT STEM EDUCATION AND DIGITAL LITERACY FOR YOUTH | $3,250,000 |
| DIPLOMATIC SECURITY FOUNDATION INCORPORATED DUNN LORING, VA | SUPPORT SAFETY, SECURITY, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL | $200,000 |
| EUROPEAN JEWISH ASSOCIATION MONSEY, NY | SUPPORT ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES FOR JEWISH COMMUNITIES | $1,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is managed by an unpaid board of directors consisting of:
- Elon Musk (President and Primary Funder)
- Jared Birchall (Family office employee)
- Matilda Simon (Family office employee)
The foundation has no full-time staff.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELON MUSK | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JARED BIRCHALL | SECRETARY & TREASURER & DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MATILDA SIMON | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been increasingly active in education initiatives, particularly in Texas. Recent activity includes support for carbon removal technology through partnerships with organizations like the X Prize Foundation, reflecting the foundation's commitment to renewable energy and climate-related research.
Musk Foundation-Backed XPRIZE Awards $100 Million for Carbon RemovalSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Musk Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Renewable energy research and advocacy • Human space exploration research and advocacy • Pediatric research • Science and engineering education • Development of safe artificial intelligence to benefit humanity • Education initiatives and school operations • Support for students in need • Disaster relief efforts
How do I apply for a grant from Musk Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $5,000 to $137,075,943 • The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries • Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board to preselected organizations • No formal grant programs with specific application cycles **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • Made 42 grants totaling approximately $474 million in expenses • Notable recent grants include: • X Prize Foundation: $5,450,000 (S…
Where does Musk Foundation make grants?
The foundation's giving emphasizes: • National focus (USA) with particular emphasis on Texas, California, and Massachusetts • Texas has become the largest area of Musk Foundation giving in recent years
What size grants does Musk Foundation award?
In 2024, Musk Foundation awarded 55 grants totaling $474.3M — an average of about $8.6M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Musk Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Musk Foundation reported a distributable amount of $446.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Musk Foundation's EIN?
Musk Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2133087. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Musk Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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